Home Network Erratic.

Gadgetman496

The strangest thing is happening on my Home Network (2 PC's both XP Pro SP3)
Every time the computer is fully powered down, the home network setup is reset. The computer is connected via Cat5 cable to a Linksys router, and there haven't been any problems in the past. This is a very recent phenomenon.

If I leave it alone for long enough or run the network wizard again it will re-establish connection.

Thia home network has been fine for 2 years prior to this.

The only major changes I can think of is the move from AVG7 Internet Security to version 8 & the installation of SP3.


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Dardania

describe in a bit more detail your setup... a linksys router, and both PCs are connected to that?
1 of the PCs, upon restarting doesn't have connectivity to the router?

Do you have DHCP in operation at the router level?

Personally, I reckon its a physical problem...cabling etc. being loose

Gadgetman496

Dardania wrote: »

describe in a bit more detail your setup... a linksys router, and both PCs are connected to that?
1 of the PCs, upon restarting doesn't have connectivity to the router?

Do you have DHCP in operation at the router level?

Thanks for the reply,

Ok, (The Linksys router is set to "Automatic Configuration - DHCP")
It's been set to that since day one.

2 PC's both running XP Pro SP3

Both connected via RJ45 to the Linksys WRG54GS router (Wireless but not using wireless) which is connected to an Aolynk DR814 Modem/Router (Non Wireless & not bridged) I've always had it set this way in order to maintain access to both routers Config pages.

Home network created using the standard Windows wizard

Both machines running AVG 8 Internet security (I believe that this may be the culprit).

I have no problem whatsoever with Internet connectivity, that working continuously without any issues.

The issue is solely with my internal home network.

I could have connectivity between both machines for hours but then all of sudden it will be lost. This can occur for no apparent reason at all but most definitely occurs if I restart either of the machines.

It can be corrected by running the wizard again or by leaving it alone it can come back on its own. The pain in the butt is the uncertainty of it, you can be sure that when you really need it? it won't connect.

I have been using this home network for 2 years without a glitch (that's why I'm thinking it might be a setting in the recently upgraded version of AVG8.

When it does fail, I get one of two error Msg's. 1. The usual, "You may not have permission, contact your network Admin" or 2. "The network path was not found".

What's really confusing me is this, when I can't connect to the other machine, if I disable the AVG Firewall altogether it lets me connect straight away. So if it is the Firewall that's causing it? why would it work sometimes & not others when the Firewall is enabled? You'd imagine that if the firewall was blocking it that it would do it all the time or not at all?

This bit I don't full understand so maybe you might be able to tell me what it actually means.

When I restart the main machine I get this AVG Msg just after the Desktop gets populated & if I allow it it pops up twice more so I allow on all occasions & I have home network connectivity but it will get blocked again after an unspecified amount of time without any warning Msg. (see Pic).




This UDP Msg probably holds the key to the fix but I'm just not sure how to correct it in AVG8?

Hope this gives you a clearer picture of what I'm dealing with?

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axer

UDP Port 137 is for the netbios name service i.e. when you type in "\\servername\" it has to resolve that name to an ip address so that it knows which computer to talk to. Your firewall is blocking the packets that are being sent out to find which computer has the netbios name of "servername" (as in the example.

You will probably find that if you type in the ip address e.g. "\\192.168.1.2\" that it will most likely work.

To resolve the problem you will have to set your subnet 192.168.123.x as a trusted zone in AVG so that it will allow all traffic on your LAN (it may be called something else under AVG).

Gadgetman496

axer wrote: »

To resolve the problem you will have to set your subnet 192.168.123.x as a trusted zone in AVG so that it will allow all traffic on your LAN (it may be called something else under AVG).

Appreciate the reply axer,

There's a section in AVG called "Areas and Adapters profile"

Within that section it has my NIC card, My wireless card (currently disabled) & my Home Network (It's named "HOME" just for clarification).

All of the above are set to "Standalone computer".

There are only 3 options available to choose for each of these,

Standalone computer

Allow All

Block All

Could it be that my HOME network should be set to "Allow All"?

or would that leave me open to a lambasting :eek:

I don't fully understand all this stuff but my logic is that if it's an internal network it might be safe to do that?

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axer

Yes, set your home network to allow all.

Gadgetman496

axer wrote: »

Yes, set your home network to allow all.

I've done that & I haven't heard a peep out of it since

Restarted both machines & all is happy

I think at some point in a moment of madness I might have changed that myself (probably saw the "Allow All" in among the ""Standalone Computers"" & thought it was a Gremlin at work :eek:)

Listen axer, thanks for taking the time to walk me through this, appreciate it

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axer

gadgetman496 wrote: »

Listen axer, thanks for taking the time to walk me through this, appreciate it
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No worries, glad to hear it worked.